Title: Selective nanoscale growth of lattice mismatched materials

Exemplary embodiments provide materials and methods of forming high-quality semiconductor devices using lattice-mismatched materials. In one embodiment, a composite film including one or more substantially-single-particle-thick nanoparticle layers can be deposited over a substrate as a nanoscale selective growth mask for epitaxially growing lattice-mismatched materials over the substrate.

Methods by which the growth of a nanostructure may be precisely controlled by an electrical current are described here. In one embodiment, an interior nanostructure is grown to a predetermined geometry inside another nanostructure, which serves as a reaction chamber. The growth is effected by a catalytic agent loaded with feedstock for the interior nanostructure. Another embodiment allows a preexisting marginal quality nanostructure to be zone refined into a higher-quality nanostructure by driving a catalytic agent down a controlled length of the nanostructure with an electric current. In both embodiments, the speed of nanostructure formation is adjustable, and the growthmore » may be stopped and restarted at will. The catalytic agent may be doped or undoped to produce semiconductor effects, and the bead may be removed via acid etching.« less

High performance, high bandgap, lattice-mismatched, photovoltaic cells (10), both transparent and non-transparent to sub-bandgap light, are provided as devices for use alone or in combination with other cells in split spectrum apparatus or other applications.

A method (100) of fabricating an LED or the active regions of an LED and an LED (200). The method includes growing, depositing or otherwise providing a bottom cladding layer (208) of a selected semiconductor alloy with an adjusted bandgap provided by intentionally disordering the structure of the cladding layer (208). A first active layer (202) may be grown above the bottom cladding layer (208) wherein the first active layer (202) is fabricated of the same semiconductor alloy, with however, a partially ordered structure. The first active layer (202) will also be fabricated to include a selected n or pmore » type doping. The method further includes growing a second active layer (204) above the first active layer (202) where the second active layer (204) Is fabricated from the same semiconductor alloy.« less

High performance, high bandgap, lattice-mismatched, photovoltaic cells (10), both transparent and non-transparent to sub-bandgap light, are provided as devices for use alone or in combination with other cells in split spectrum apparatus or other applications.

A method of forming a nanostructure at low temperatures. A substrate that is reactive with one of atomic oxygen and nitrogen is provided. A flux of neutral atoms of at least one of nitrogen and oxygen is generated within a laser-sustained-discharge plasma source and a collimated beam of energetic neutral atoms and molecules is directed from the plasma source onto a surface of the substrate to form the nanostructure. The energetic neutral atoms and molecules in the plasma have an average kinetic energy in a range from about 1 eV to about 5 eV.